In an odd exchange with MSNBC’s Joy Reid, a supporter of Donald Trump tried to allay fears about the campaign’s formalized affiliation with Breitbart.com, by dismissing concerns about the website’s extreme racism — because one of the top writers is “incredibly gay.”

Earlier in the week, the GOP presidential nominee turned over the CEO reins to his floundering campaign to Brietbart chief executive Steve Bannon, raising concerns the campaign might pull even further to the right.

“Do you seem comfortable being in the same camp as some of the people,” Reid pressed Cortes. “The Southern Poverty Law Center has described the Trump campaign bringing Breitbart’s Bannon in as cozying up to the alt-right. And the explainer that Breitbart put up to explain who they are was written by a guy named Milo Yiannopoulos, who who is known as being sort of a guru to the alt-right — he’s one of the people who hounded a comedian from Saturday Night Live off the internet with racist invective.”

“They are white nationalists.” she continued. “Does that make you uncomfortable to be in the same camp with them?”

“Well, I would say they are nationalists,” he began. “I wouldn’t say they are white nationalists. And Milo, by the way, who you cite, is certainly the most known member of the alt-right, he’s very provocative. He’s also incredibly gay! And very, very public about it.”

“Does that mean he can’t be a white nationalist?” Reid stopped him. “You say he he can’t be gay and a white nationalist? Because you can.”

“No, but it argues against the idea that it’s an inherently sort of racist, retrograde white Christian –” Cortes countered before Reid cut him off again, asking, “What does being gay have to do with it? You can be gay and racist.”

An abashed Cortes backed off, remarking, “Fine, it’s a retrograde nationalist white southern movement,” before trailing off and then blurting, “Listen, I don’t want to defend the alt-right movement!”

About the Author

Tom Boggioni is based in the quaint seaside community of Pacific Beach in less quaint San Diego. He writes about politics, media, culture, and other annoyances. Mostly he spends his days at the beach gazing at the horizon waiting for the end of the world, or the sun to go down. Whichever comes first.